Costs and benefits of air pollution controls

The EPA uses economic analyses and tools to inform
the development of environmental regulations and policies. Estimates of costs
and benefits provide stakeholders with important information during
consultation on proposals.

Particular techniques can be used to estimate the costs and
benefits associated with air pollution controls.

Methodology for valuing the health impacts of changes in particle emissions

The EPA engaged PAEHolmes to develop a methodology that
accounts for health impacts associated with changes in particle emissions and
adjusts for the variation in those impacts across populations. The methodology

is intended for use in economic cost benefit analyses to inform
air quality management

proposes a way to value the health impacts of one tonne of
particle emissions in Australian towns and cities

uses population density reflecting that smaller towns usually
have lower population density and more space for particle emissions to disperse

Total health impacts of air pollution relate to the level of
ambient air pollution and how many people are exposed.

Individual exposure to outdoor air pollution may depend on
many factors including

the amount of pollution around the person

whether or not the pollution can disperse (topography and
meteorology)

Air quality appraisal tool for transport and land use planning

The EPA engaged PAEHolmes to develop an Air Quality Appraisal Tool (XLS 1.6MB) (AQAT) to assist in
placing a cost on the air quality impacts of transport and development. The
AQAT is a spreadsheet that can be used to estimate annual emissions of
particles and the damage costs associated with these emissions.

(From November 2012, PAEHolmes took on the branding of its
parent company, Pacific Environment.)

Cost abatement curves for air emission reduction actions

The EPA engaged Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM) to undertake a
study to identify and analyse a range of air pollution emission abatement
initiatives across the Greater Metropolitan Region (GMR) and subregions of NSW.
SKM

developed a Marginal Abatement Cost Curve model to help assess
the practicability of each identified initiative from a number of perspectives,
including its economic, environmental and social impacts, and technical
feasibility

explored the potential for this model to help identify programs
that warrant further investigation and full cost benefit analysis